Duarte : Ex-Rotarians Hail Ruling
Members of the Ex-Rotary Club of Duarte this week lauded U. S. Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist’s refusal to delay implementation of a state appeals court ruling that ordered Rotary International to reinstate the local club, which was ousted by the international organization in 1978 after it refused to remove three women members from its roster.
“We’re delighted, although it took a few years longer than we expected,” said Richard Key, who was president of the Duarte club when it was ousted.
The Ex-Rotary Club now has about 20 members, half of them women, and has continued its service work, but Key said that the fact that it is not affiliated with the international organization discourages some people from joining.
Rotary International had petitioned the Supreme Court to delay implementation of the reinstatement ruling until the full court has the opportunity to consider a request for an appeal.
The Duarte club sued for reinstatement, and a Los Angeles Superior Court judge found in favor of the local group in February, 1983.
That ruling was upheld in March, when the state Supreme Court ruled that Rotary clubs are business establishments subject to regulation under the state’s Unruh Act, which bans discrimination based on race, sex, religion or ethnic origin.
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